Project managers and senior scientists of the Environmental Sciences Group (ESG) of Wageningen University & Research (WUR) have formed teams around recent project results in search for further valorization. The goal was to develop proposals for new projects, products, patents, partnerships, grants or startups.
Call for ideas
A call for promising research ideas resulted in the formation of 16 teams, which were invited to submit a proposal for the Valorization Challenge in October. These teams, with people from different chair groups, were coached by StartLife and ESG program managers to develop their propositions. The submitted proposals were ranked in a selection procedure on October 9th by the program team, consisting of Gitte Schober, Charon Zondervan, Tim Daalderop, Saskia Visser and Tim van Hattum. Proposals were ranked based on three criteria; quality of the proposal, potential of the idea in the market and strategic fit with the ESG strategy. Seven ideas were selected and invited to participate in the Valorization Challenge: Bomenplatform 3.0, WaterApps, Leadership 2 degrees, City Water Bank, Waste Water Connectsus, Cascade and CS4A.
Valorization Challenge
In the lovely surroundings of Wolfheze, the 7 teams were using the Business Model Canvas to develop a proposition based on their own research. In discussions with coaches, through pitching their propositions and integrating all feedback they sharpened their ideas and developed a concrete roadmap for a product or service targeted at an identified customer or European project tender.
Expert Jury
The jury consisted of Sebastiaan Berendse (Director Value Creation WUR), Charon Zondervan (Program Coordinator Environmental Sciences Group), Theo Xenakis (Innovation Officer Climate-KIC) and Chris Veerkamp (Innovation Manager Groeifabriek, AGP). The prize for the most promising ‘startup’ idea, made available by Climate-KIC, was won by Bomenplatform 3.0. The prize for the best innovative idea was won by CS4A (Climate Services for Agriculture).
Winners
Team Bomenplatform 3.0, represented by Henk Janssen and Onno Roosenschoon, won a free access to the first Climate Launch Path, the accelerator program of Climate-KIC. CS4A, represented by Karianne de Bruin, won a prize worth 15k€, to help them further develop their ideas towards implementation.
Follow up
All teams, who submitted a proposal for the valorization challenge will receive support from ESG and StartLife in the development of their propositions.
Contact
In case you’re interested in one of the 7 innovations or the experiences of the team, please contact Saskia Visser: saskia.visser@wur.nl.
Interested in a business challenge at your department? Please, contact Gitte Schober: gitte.schober@wur.nl.
(photocredits: Sven Menschel)